Shoe stretcher



A. B. ELMSTROM.

'SHOE STRETCH ER. APPLKCATIONFILED NOV-15, 1920.

Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

M25607 A 3. E'Jmaom,

Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

masses Ans'HnLM nun'ron ELMS'IROM, or miatnzeiv, massacnusnrrssites STBETGHEB.

Application filed November 15,1 1 920. Selial'Nb 424,007.

tion are to provide a simple construction whichcan be adjusted and-set in position very conveniently, and to provide simple and inexpensive means by which the two halves of the tree will be moved apart with a true parallel motion when the tree is set to stretch the shoe, and to provide improvements in the details of construction.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a side view of a preferred form of the invention, showing it in position in a shoe, which is represented in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a plan of a portion of the same, showing it expanded;

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing it contracted;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line l4l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side view of one of the arms of the toggle lever;

Fig. 6 is a similar view of a portion of the 7 other arm, and

Fig. 7 is a detail elevation of the pivotal connecting and fastening means for these two arms.

The invention is shown as comprising a tree having a toe part consisting of two halves 10. These preferably are made of wood and provided with meeting surfaces which are in a plane. Each of these members is slotted out at 11 to form a horizontal slot or space extending in from the rear and terminating at a point back of the front or toe. These slots or spaces are horizontal and are located at about the center vertically. On account of the construction of the link shown herein the slot can be made ver thin.

Inside of the device and within the slots are pivoted two links 12. These are pivoted on two vertical rods 13 extending through the shoe tree and are connected with a slide 14: by means of pivots 15. The same con struction appears on both sides of the device. The slots 11 are recessed at the bottom to provide a space for the reception of the slide 14 whenthe partsjare closed as shown in Fig. The pivots 13 and 15 are arranged :at equal distances apart longitu-' dinally so that the links 12 on each side are necessarily always parallel as shown. There 1 fore, when; the slide 1st ismove'd; in or out longitudinally, themotion of the links 12 is always parallel and also'the relativemov t n of. the} two l1alves "10 is a parallel motion..

Pivotally connectedwith anupturned flange 20 on the'r'e'ar end of" the' s'lidel l by means of a pivot pin 21 is an arm 22. This, with a second arm 23, constitutes a' toggle lever. -This arm 22-is provided with a long slot 2 1 in which'is located a projecf tion of the same shape on a head 25. This head is providedJwith a bolt, on which operates a nut 26. This is knurled on theqcircumference andjserves as a means for fastening the bolt to the arm 22.

The nut 26 has a cylindrical portion 27 l -which is adapted to engage in any one of a plurality of enlargements in a longitudinal slot 28 in the arm 23. Theseenlargements are of a circular character but are connected with each other by the overlappingof the circles as indicated in Fig. 5. p In this way a longitudinal slot is provided,

which is continuous but which furnishes a positive pivotal connection with the arm 22 when the nut 26 is screwed up. The

length of the enlarged shank 27 is. greater than the thickness of the arm 23"so that when this nut is screwed up tight it' does not restrict the free pivotal motion of the arms with respect to each other. However,

when it is desired to change the adjustment it is not necessary-to take the nut ofibut merely to unscrew it enough so that the arm 23 can slide back and forth over the bolt beyond the end of the enlargement 27. I In addition to these features I have shown a wooden heel piece 29 fixed rigidly on the end of the arm 23, and an operating handle 30 on the end of the arm 22. Thehandle 30 preferably is formed by bending over the end of the sheet metal of which the arm 1 22 is composed. In the 'use of the device the pivot stud and nut 25-26 are adjusted to, the proper position on the arm 23 and the nut screwed up. The parts are placedin the shoe in the manner indicated in Fig. 1.

Then the handle 30 is pressed down until the toggle lever straightens out andpreferably passes downwardly at the middle beyond the center. This holds it in that position until the handle 30 is raised.

tore, I do not wish tobe limited to all of the details of construetlon herein shown and By providing a longitudinal SlOt'lITGJClI"*ClGSCIlbGd, but what I claim is of the halves 10 for receiving all of the operating parts located between the halves, I house these parts in such position that they are entirely out of sight when the device is collapsed. 1 also get a possibility of wide expansion without complicating the device or making-it expensive to manufacture or assemble. The adjustment is simple and very convenient and the operation of the device is easily acquired by those unfamiliar with this type of: shoe stretcher. v Although I have illustrated and described only a single form of the invention 1 am aware oi the fact that modifications can be made therein by any )erson skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claim. There- In a shoe tree, the combination of a wooden sectional toe portion formed in halves, a pair of parallel links pivoted to each half and adapted to extend therefrom toward the other half, the two corresponding links of each half making equal angles at all times with a central plane, a fiat slide pivotally connected with said links on opposite edges of the slide and at equal distances apart the two halves of said toe portion being provided with. horizontal slots therein for reception of said links and slide, and means for moving said slide longitudinally.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature.

ANSl-IELM BURTON ELMSTROM. 

